I reach for the conference room door, but hesitate, needing one second more. I have so many questions, so many conflicting emotions, so much everything and none of it makes sense.

This isn’t me. The spontaneous, color outside of the lines person tempted to say yes. So why am I in fact, tempted?

“See? I told you she was cool,” Jase’s voice comes through the door. “We’re chill. And the woman can bake.”

I hold my breath, as if they can hear me breathing, and decide to wait another minute and eavesdrop. Nothing is beneath me right now.

“What am I missing, Giz?” Nathaniel asks. “She’s not your type—clearly by the amount of clothes she has on alone.”

“Hilarious.”

“From what I can tell, she’s intelligent . . . Wait—did you do something to her that you’re trying to pay her off for?”

“You think so little of me.”

“Fine. I’ll ask it. Did you sleep with her, then?” Nathaniel asks.

“Nope. Not even on my radar. The prissy, preppy ones aren’t my type. You know that.”

I open my mouth to object, to argue, to what? Defend myself because I’m preppy and heard a comment I wasn’t supposed to hear?

And why are my feelings hurt over something I know to be true? I’m a Type A, follow the rules, everything has to be planned girl.

Not to mention, I’m most definitely not the type who I saw on Jase’s arm in the photos I looked at last night. Nowhere near the beauty or perfection of the women he’s supposedly dated in the past.

This is a business contract. A mutually beneficial agreement. Which does beg the question . . . will this be believable?

Maybe I needed to overhear this conversation. Maybe I needed to get my feelings hurt as a reminder of what not to make this into—anything other than a business transaction.

With a renewed vigor and my head firmly in the right place, I open the door and walk back into the conference room. “So am I not allowed legal representation for this conversation?”

Both of their heads whip my way, expressions startling either over my question or fear they were overheard. I’m not sure which. “You don’t trust us?”

I chuckle, suggesting bravado I don’t feel. “That’s like asking a sheep if she trusts the wolves surrounding her.” I look from one to the other and back and cringe because I know I don’t have the funds to hire a lawyer. Hell, I don’t even have the funds to make it through the end of the month. And yet at the same time, it’s important for them to know I’m not so desperate for money that I’m overlooking any obvious things.

What those are? Who knows.

“Fair.” Nathaniel nods. “Would you like to call someone?”